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Otago Daily Times, Issue 649, 16 January 1864, Page 5

By proclamation in tho "Provincial Government Gazette" the limits of the Mount Benger anil Dunstan gold fields are extended.' Mount Bepger has had added to it territory "bounded,on the west by Mount Benger gold field; on the north by the Dunstan field to Cairn Hill, thence by a straight Hue to South Bow Ridge Hill; on the east by the Taeiri gold field |to Lammerlaws, thence by the Tuapeka gold field to Mount Benger. To the Dunstan gold field, territory has been added bounded on the west by the Dunstan gold field to Leaning Rock, thence north by a line to the source of the Spottisburn, from thence to the Manuherikiiv River, thence by the Manuherikia River and Idaburn to Mount Ida, thence toward the East by the Mount Ida gold field to North Rough Ridge Hill, thence by ihe Taieri gold field to South Ridge Hill, and thence to the south by a straight line to Cairn Hill. We notice that an association for the manufacture of woollen cloth is in course of formation at Adelaide. A Leeds manufacturer is the promoter, and the capital of the association is LIO,OOO in 2000 shares of L 5 each. At the Taieri Agricultural Society's show on Wednesday wa3 exhibited a reaping j machine, by Messrs Thomas Robinson and Co., which excited general attention and admiration. A similar machine, only better finished, is now on view at the warehouse of the maker's, in Walker street. The work of reclaiming that part of the bay which has so long been a nuisance and inconvenience to the south end of the city, has been commenced. Very great progies3 has already been made, ard in a short time Princes street will be completed in a straight line to the recreation ground, and the existing road converted into the site for an intended market. We regret that the Rev. D. M. Stewart, in riding across the bridge over the Water of Leith yesterday afternoon, met with a very serious accident. The showers which had fallen during the day had lendered the roadway exceedingly slippery, in consequence of ■which his horse fell and threw him. He was taken up and conveyed to a house close by, where he was promptly attended by Drs Cowie and Crawford, who were sent for, and who found, in addition to some severe bruises, that his collar bone was fractured. Beyond 1 the temporary inconvenience, we are glad that the medical attendants do not anticipate any serious vconsequences. When one compares thelean scraggy joints which are but too often the only thing in the ■ shape of mutton that the butchers can supply, with the fine fat sheep which was yesterday • exposed in the shop of the City Company, in ' High-street, "he mnst feel the advantages of 'such incentives to increased attention to the fattening of stock, as are afforded by such • competitive exhibitions" as the re^nfc Taieri Agricultural Show, The veriest epicure >' • could not desire to see a finer specimen of : "welPed mutton, than that produced by Mr Murray, whose successful entries at the Taieri Show mark him as one of our most careful ; and enterprising breeders. With the magnificent herbage which is to be found in this Province, and with careful attention to the selection of suitable stock, Otago ought to •produce the finest mutton and beef in the Australian colonies. Anil it is by means of - coSipetitive -exhibitions of stock that that rivalry and emulation amongst agriculturists, ■which is so essential to the improvement of the "" "fafstocf of the country can be best secured. An agricultural friend suggests that a grand • "agricultural show would be a fitting accompaniment to the Industrial Exibition in 1865. Perhaps the existing Agricultural Societies may benefit by the hint. .Wecopy the following from the 'Argus':— " By the prospectus of the Tasmanian Pyroligniie Company, which lately appeared in the 'HobartTown Advertiser,' we see that ' our neighbors in Tasmania propose to test by actual trial, a rather novel project of utilising the timber of which the dense forests of the ialand afford so inexhaustible a supply. This is to procure by dry distillation from the hardwoods of the colony, several products for ■which, from their use in many of the applications of chemical science to the useful arts in ' Europe at the present- d*y, the demand is practically unlimited. Of these the principal ■ are acetate of lime, used largely as a preservative, in the form of pyroligneous acid, and also in the manufacture of whitelead and sugar of lead ; wood naptha, used in the place of spirits of wine in the preparation of varnishes; and creasote, which has supplanted nearly all other preparations for the preservation of timber. For a long time, in } Tasmania, much attention has been turned to ' tile'question, which was the most practicable and best mode of turning to account the immense forests with which so large a part of the land is covered. Seeing that its great distance from the European market must ever be a great drawback to the export of timber, the attempt has been made to reduce the • wood to a convenient form for export in the manner of the Canadian settlers by the manuV facture of potash ; and about ten years ago, Sir William Denison, then the Governor of the colony, personally superintended a series of experiments for that purpose. The present project has this advantage, that it would have only to compete with the products of the same clas3 made in Europe from oak and ■ beech, where of course, a very heavy item of the expense, of manufacture is due to the nvV cost of the wood, which is very considerable 'even if only refuse be made use of. The experiments on which the present undertaking is based, were brought under the notice of a Parliamentary committee appointed for the purpose, and on the recommendation of the committee, a bill was passed during the late session of the Tasmanian Legislature, to legalise the distillation of timber. The pro- ; ducts of a ton of timber are estimated as fol_- ■ lows:—Acetate of lime, from eighty to 120 pounds, worth from L 8 to LIS per ton, according to quality ; wood naptha, one gallon - or one gallon and a half, worth 3i 6d per gallon ; and about two gallons of creasote, worth about 2s per gallon, leaving as residue about six hundredweight of charcoal. The inhabitants of the Lake District need liiot depand upon timber for the construction of their houses, for we learn from the " Government Gazette" that an excellent limestone exists in great abundance on the bor- - — dersofthe Wakatip Lake. It was found by /Mr Hacket, Assistant Surveyor of the Geological Department. The stone is described as '"'a Very hard compact grey colored limestone ■ \>f considerable purity. The foreign matters • 'contained in it consist principally of rounded black silicons sand and iron pyrites ; it also contains traces of bituminous matters, and is ' excellent for building purposes or for making 'Jime- The following is the result of an analysis made by Mr R. S. Gore, of the Geological Department:—Prot. oxide of iron, with traces of alumina 84, carbonate of lime 91.G0, '.. carbonate of magnesia 2.94, soluble silica .20 insoluble in hydrochloric acid 4.8—100.38. The hygroscopic water at timo of analysis ■was .20 per cent., specific gravity 2.702,

The " Provincial Gazette," of Wednesday, contains a copyof a..despatchtjrqm the Colonial Secretary to ins Honor tlie Superintendent, inviting his co-operation in the establishment of alPatrlolic Eunclfor the colony. The 'despatch is as follows'":—" Colonial Secretary's^ Office, Auckland, 21st September, 1863; Sir, The General Assembly has appropriated out of the Colonial Revenue for this year, the sum of Two Thousand Pounds (L 2000) towards a Patriotic Fund for the support of the wives and families of those of Her Majesty's Regular and Colonial Forces who have fallen and may hereafter full, in the course of the present war in this colony. lam sure that the inhabitants and Legislature of each Province will be anxious to contribute to a fund which has for its benevolent object the succour and relief of Aose who, by the loss of their husbands and parents in battle, or by death on active service in the present war, are unnble to maintain or support themselves. I gladly, therefore, invite your Honor's co operation in this matter, by requesting you to be good enough to give general publicity to the intention of the General Assembly, and to take such other steps as may appear to your Honor to be calculated to give it additional effect. I have the honor to be. Sir, your most obedient servant, Fred. Whittaker, for the Colonial Secretary." We would remind coach and cab proprietors that to-day is the last day on which applications for inspection and license ot vehicles will be received. The applications must be made to the Commissioner of Police. By proclamation of His Honor tin Superintendent, in the " Gazette" of January 13, nine vaccination districts have been proclaimed in Otago, namely :—Oamaru, bounded on the north by the Province of Canterbury, on the east by the Pacific Ocean, on the south by the Kakanui Mountains, and on the west by Hawkden and the Dunstan Mountains ; Hawkesbury, bounded on the north by Oamaru District, on the east by the Ocean, on the south by the Waitaki Stream, the Silver Peak Hills, and the Taieri and Sutton Streams, on the west by the Rock and Pillar Mountains, thence by the Ranges to Deep Dell Creek, by the Deep Dell Creek and the Ranges to the Kakanui Mountains : Dunedin, bounded on the north by the Hawkesbury Vaccination District, on the east by the Ocean, on the south by the Taieri and Waipori Rivers, and on the west by the Vesterburn and Lammermoor Ranges; Tokomairiro, .bounded on the north by the Dunedin District, on the east by the Ocean, on the south by the Wangaloo, Eraser's and Lovel's Creeks, and on the west by Stuart and Waitahuna Ranges ; Taapeka, bounded on the north by the ranges between Mount Benger and Lammerlaw; on the east by the Vaccination Districts of Dunedin and Tokornairiro, on the south by the Dull Burn, Waitahuna and Clutha Rivers, and on the west by the Black Olfcugh Burn, and the ranges running from Papanui Ranges to Mount Benger; Molyneux, bounded on the north by the Umbrella Ranges and the Vaccination Districts of Tuapeka and Tokomairiro, on the east and south by the Ocean, and on the west by the Matuara River ; Mount Ida, bounded on the' north by the Oamaru Vaccination District, on the east by the Districts of Hawkesbury and Dunedin, on the south by Tuapeka Dis. . trict, and on the west by Roughridye, thence to the Hawkdun Mountains; Dunstan, bounded on the. north by the Province of Canterbury and the Oamaru Vaccination^ District, on the east by Mount Ida District, on the south by the Tuapeka District, and on the west by the Umbrella Ranges, Cairn Muir, Piern and Earnslaw Ranges ; and Wakatipu, bounded on the north by the Canterbury Province, on the east by the Vaccination Districts of Dunedin and Molyneux, on the south by the Province of Southland and the Ocean, and on the west by the Ocean. The yield of gold from the various gold fields of New South Wales, for 1863, shows a decrease of 161,000 ounces as compared with the previous year. The Mount Alexander Mail of the 7th inst. Ra yg : —« It is reported that an action is about to be commenced between two of the largest banks, irora some circumstances arising out of gold-buying operations. The breaking up ot the gold buying compacts has not been without effect, but it could scarcely have been expected that it would have caused the adoption of a system of disgraceful trickery, difficult to distinguish from the sale of spurious gold, or obtaining money under false pretences. In banking establishments, we are not accustomed to find an organised system of dishonesty carried out; yet it is broadly ! asserted that a wholesale manufacture of bar gold has been made at a reduced value, and afterwards conveyed to Maldon and placed in the hands of claimholders there, for the purpose of facilitating a sale, and that the plan was successful to a surprising degree. The object of the action is to recover the losses that have accrued to the purchasers. Alluvial gold has also been retorted and alldyed and disposed of at Sandhurst, in the same disreputable manner. An attempt is being made to compromise the matter; we trust, however, we shall be spared the painful duty of again referring to it until a court of law shali have placed the public in possession of facts that should not be permitted to be hidden." It speaks volumes for the wretchedly inadequate communic.ition between Otago and the North Island that we actually receive five days later news from Auckland via Melbourne. The Rangatira brought Auckland dates to the 27th December, while the Mel* ■ bourne papers contain telegraphic news via Sydney up to the Ist inst. If the news so communicated is reliable, it would appear that the Ngatimaniopoto natives are likely to give more trouble, as they had mustered in large numbers at Rangiawhia and Otawhao, and were,' determined to resist General Cameron'/progress. Yesterday the following memorial, signed by ab<^nt 250 ratepayers, including the principal merchants and owners of property in the city was presented to his Honor the Superintendent :—" To His Honor the Superintendent of the Province of Otago.—We the undersigned ratepayers of the city of Dunedin would respectfully direct your attention to the present condition of the Town Board ; to express to you our belief that the best interests of the citizens are being sacrificed by incompetent men ; that as the Board is now constituted it is, instead of being a benefit, a positive evil, and we feel that it is highly detrimental to the interests of the citizens that such a body should have control over the public funds ; that the majority of its members do not and cannot hope to possess the confidence of the ratepayers. We therefore solicit your Honor to take the subject under your consideration, and, if practicable, to suspend the operations of the Town Board, and without stopping current public works, place the expenditure of the city funds in the hands of a Commissioner until such time as a full and complete Municipal Council can be established." Monday next being " Mail Day," the Special Jury Sitting at the Supreme Court will be adjourned to Tuesday, the 19 th instant, at ten o'clock in the forenoon.

We have received a copy ot me .uuneain Directory, published by Messrs Harriett and Co. It is most excellently arranged,'-and bears the impress of careM compilation; ;It contains an alphabetical directory, a street directory, ft .trades' directory,- and directories' of Port Chalmers andlnycrcurgill.'■A;m»p of the Province of Otago is peefixed to the volume, which taken in all its parts reflects the highest credit on the publishers, and must prove a valuable source of information to merchants, tradesmen, and others. A meeting of the Dunedin Eifle Volunteers No. 1 Company was held yesterday evening, at the Shamrock Hotel, for the purpose of electing officers and non-commissioned officers, pursuant to advertisement. Captain F. J Moss in the chair. The minutes of the last meeting having been read and confirmed, the Chairman stated that it was necessary to nominate officers, lieutenant and ensign, 3 sergeants and 2 corporals. It was proposed by Mr Stevens, seconded by Mr Matheson, that Sergeant O'Meagher bo elected Lieutenant, vice Lieutenant Leggett resigned, and no other candidates appearing in opposition Sergeant O'Meagher was, after a show of hands, declared unanimously elected. Proposed by Mr Hardy, and seconded by Mr Hodge, that J. H. O'Loughliri, Esq, be elected Ensign. Another member having been proposed the ballot was resorted to, when Mr O'Loughlin wa9 duly elected by a large majority. The next appointment was that of three Sergeants, when, after taking a ballot, the following members were the successful cand dates:—Somerville, T. Jenkinson, and Robertson. The next appointment was that of Armory Sergeant, when Mr James Mills was elected without opposition. The next appointment was that of two Corporals, when Messrs Matheson and Wilson were elected. Mr Gillies having tendered his resignation as Treasurer, which was received with regret, Messrs Stevens, Barrett and Anderson were severally nominated, and after a ballot Mr J. S. Barrett was elected by a large majority. Messrs Hardy and Douglas were elected as members of the Committee. The healths of the successful candidates were then drunk in bumpers of champagne, and having respectively responded in appropriate speeches, three cheers for CaptaiD E. J. Moss (the Chairman) were then given, and the meeting terminated. A public meeting is appointed to be held in the East Taieri Schoolhouse, on Wednesday evening next, the 20th instant, tor the purpose of taking into consideration the steps necessary to be taken for the prevention of the spread of ca'tle disease in the Province. A report reached us late last night that pleuro pneumonia had broken out on some cattle at Green Island.